Munster High School - Paragon Yearbook (Munster, IN)

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— 26 Chronic Lateness- AFTER BOTH BELLS have rung, the student walks into class only to find his teacher ready to mark an- other tardy in her attendance book. AFTER COMING INTO work late again, senior Caryn Cammarata is confronted by her manager with her time sheet and asked for an explanation for her tardiness.

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ime Warp Seven minute break means freedom from the old grind BBRRIINNGG!!! The first hour bell re- sounded, dismissing students from their first class of the day. One student remained seated in the now deserted classroom, con- templating. “Let’s see. I have seven min- utes and I’m in the North Building. I want to go all the way to the South Building. I should stop at my locker too. I hope I’ll have enough time.” The student gets up and leaves the classroom making her way through the maze of halls in Munster High. The bell that rang six times daily and dismissed students from their classes gave students a break from “the old grind” of class work. Students accustomed them- selves to certain routines at the beginning of each semester. “At the beginning of the year, seven minutes seemed more like two, but by June the passing period seemed more like ten,” said Sue Reddel, sopho- more. For many people, the seven minutes of time served as a mini-study hall. Homework was quickly completed and students busily crammed for exams and talked about up- coming tests. “In seven minutes’ time, I can go to my locker, get to my next class, and find a few minutes to review for a test or finish up some homework before class starts,” explained junior Nanette Kish. Not only was the passing period a mini- study hall, it was also a social hour. Stu- dents grouped together in the hallways, cafeteria or almost anywhere feasible to dis- cuss the latest gossip or plan for the upcom- ing weekend. “I could use about 10 more minutes between classes. Then I would have time to talk to anyone I wanted to,” illustrated senior Elaine Markovich. In addition, these seven minutes may have been spent running errands. Students found time to run to the Guidance Office to make appointments, to get passes in and out of classes, to purchase tickets to games from the Athletic Office and even to call home to find the misplaced homework as- signment. “I look forward to the passing period because it gives me a break between classes. I can use this time to run errands or prepare materials for the next class,” said Mr. A1 Smith, mathematics teacher. Moreover, students used the seven min- utes to trek from one end of the building to the other. With classes as spread out as they were, sprinting became part of an ev- eryday routine. ’’With half of my classes on opposite ends of the building, I barely make it to class on time. I often have to run when the minute bell rang. I guess I’d have more time if I didn’t talk to everyone,” added senior Karen Kaegabein. BBRRIINNGG!!! “ . . . Well, that was the tardy bell. I went to my locker, even went to the bathroom to comb my hair and got to my next class. Now I have a fifty five minute class to sit through until the next bell. Will it ever end???” HALLS ARE QUICKLY jammed only seconds after the bell rings. Students fight through the crowd, mak- ing their separate ways to class.

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hronic Sliding in Lateness can be hazardous to your health “I’m late, I’m late for a very important date. No time to say hello, good-bye. I’m late, I’m late, I’m late ...” This familiar song from Lewis Carroll’s “Alice in Won- derland” could have served as a motto for frantic students as they scurried through their hectic day. Whether students were hurrying to catch the bus or trying to scribble the last para- graph of a five paragraph theme before the bell rang, they found that in most cases tardiness would not be tolerated. “At the beginning of the year I hurried to all my classes, but then I learned which teachers gave detentions. Then I only rushed for those teachers,” joked freshman Bridget Yekel, with a smile. “I really didn’t mind having tardies marked,” stated another freshman, “but I couldn’t stand the feeling that everyone stared at me when I walked in late.” Three tardies resulted in a detention, while four earned a suspension from class, and five earned a one day suspension. This system ran for six weeks and each grading period presented students with a clean slate. Principal Dr. David Dick explained that this new system was established to cut down on tardies. Not only did students have to make it to class on time, but they also had to have their work finished on time so as not to be penal- ized. “In Comp, Mrs. Brasaemle subtracted a half a grade per day on major assignments and a full grade a day for smaller work,” said senior Mike Nelson. ”In Chemistry, labs had one point deduc- tions for each day late and notebooks would not be accepted if they were late,” stated sophomore Brian Wilkinson. “The guide- lines were not unfair. If the rules weren’t that way most people wouldn’t have turned their work in on time, and that wouldn’t have been fair to those who did complete their work.” Getting to work on time was another chal- lenge to students. Junior Jonathan Gross said, “sometimes it was hard to make it to work on time with second trip bus, but I usually managed to clock in on time.” Senior Lisa Schweitzer said that when she worked after school her boss usually let it go if she was a few minutes late, but she felt she should explain anyway. Although part time jobs and homework due dates demanded promptness, the blar- ing morning alarm clock had its demands as well. “I had Project Biology, and it was drudgery trying to get up before the birds so that I could arrive at my 7 a.m. class,” stated senior Kathy Fitt. Even though freshman Suzette Vale did not have Project Biology, she still found it difficult to rise on time. “I had a tendency to sleep through my alarm until I was so late I had to run around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get ready,” she said with a grin. Whether students were racing to finish studying, get to work, or just get out of bed in the morning, like the rabbit in “Alice in Wonderland” they could be heard slurring, “I can’t talk now, I’m late.” UNAWARE OF THE time, freshman Bridget Yekel BECAUSE HE WAS late in the morning, junior Jeff sleeps through her blaring alarm, forcing her to hurry Moore has to acquire a pass from Mrs. Lil Horlick, the through her morning routine when she finally awakes. South Office secretary, before he can go to class. — Chronic Lateness 27 —